Feel Like Rain
by The Chisei
Summary: AR. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were childhood friends but one bloody night things change. They grow up hating each other only to be reunited as Team 7 in adolescence. Can they move on or will feelings get in the way. SasuSaku. NaruHina. InoShika. ect.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm not making a profit of this. You wont get much if you sue.

**Prologue: The Red Begins to Creep**

Chapter Rating: PG.

**Thirteen Years Before**

The three of us met in preschool—Sasuke, Sakura and Me—at the painting station. We fought over whom was going to get to paint first but our teacher told us that we should all paint a picture together. We painted the most ferocious looking dinosaurs any one had ever seen, at least from a group of five year-olds. We agreed after our amazing artistic feat to become friends, because when your young its just that simple.

Back then Sakura was bold and funny; she was the inspiration for most of my pranks. Sasuke was happy and playful; always wanting to start some new game or teasing the kids in our class. I was shy back then. Sasuke and Sakura were my only friends and they were the only ones that I could open up around, the rest of the town though I was a freak, so I tried to be invisible most of the time. But Sasuke and Sakura saw me.

We were an unstoppable force. Or so we thought

-----

**Sixteen Hours After**

Naruto and Sakura stood in a tight embrace. His arms were wrapped around her in a supportive manner as he kissed her forehead to comfort her.

Sakura sniffled and wiped her tears and she looked up at Naruto who, at the age eighteen, had finally grown taller than her. "I'm so lucky to have you here, Naruto."

"Shhh," Naruto cooed her, "I'm always going to be here for you. For both of you."

They looked over to Sasuke's battered from lying on the hospital bed next to them. Sakura snuck a hand free from their embrace and touched the tip of Sasuke's fingers. "It doesn't feel real."

-----

**Ten Years Before**

"Happy birthday, Sasuke!" Naruto called out as he approached Sasuke, who was sitting on the swing a few meters ahead.

"Haha! Yeah, I'm eight today and you know what that means don't you Naruto?" He stood up and walked over to his friend.

Naruto took a moment to ponder the meaning of a eighth birthday. "Um, you've reached Nirvana?"(1)

"No you idiot, it means that I am now a year older than you."

"Oh. So?"

"So!? So, it means I'm your elder. You have to do what I say because I'm older and wiser." Sasuke crossed his arms in front of his chest in a high and mighty manor. "Now bark like a dog!"

"WHAT! No way Sasuke! Never! Never ever! No way I'm I going to bark like a dog for you, believe it!"

"Hey guys!" Sakura ran over, "What's going on?"

"Hey Sakura, Sasuke says that I have to bark like a dog because he is older than me," Naruto pouted.

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged glances. "Well of course you do Naruto. It's the rule of the elder. You have to do what ever Sasuke or I say because we are older than you."

"What!? Not you to Sakura?" Seeing he was defeated Naruto gave in. "Woff, woff."

"What was that? We couldn't hear you," Sasuke taunted by cupping his ear.

"WOFF, WOFF! There! You happy now"

But Sasuke and Sakura didn't hear him. They were busy rolling on the ground with laughter. "To funny," Sasuke managed to weez out between laughs.

Naruto turned his back to his friends and sat down; pouting at the embarrassment they put him through. Sure, he may have been that youngest but only by a few months.

Sakura was the first to recover from her laughing fit. "Oh poor Naruto. Don't be sad."

"Why not. You guys are making fun of me!"

"Because if you're sad we can't give Sasuke his birthday present"

The boy's perked up at this. Sasuke because he thought he was getting something and Naruto because he forgot something. "Um…Sakura do we have to do it now because I left my present at home?"

"Of course, silly! Everyone knows a birthday doesn't start until the birthday boy gets his presents," Sakura giggled.

"Oh"

"Yeah, Naruto I wont let you come to my birthday party unless you give me a present," no one ever said the young Uchiha wasn't spoiled.

"Don't worry Naruto. You can share my present with me."

"Oh cool. Thanks, Sakura," Naruto heaved a sigh of relief at his pink haired friend. "So what are we getting him?"

"Ten Pinches! One for every year!" Sakura laughed maniacally as she began chasing after an escaped Sasuke.

"Aaha! All right! You better watch out Sasuke!" Naruto pumped his fists in the air and fallowed his two friends in a scurry around the playground.

---

That day after school Sasuke had invited all the children in his class over to the Uchiha Manor for his birthday party. Every one was excited because the Uchiha's were known to be some of the wealthiest nin in Konoha and rumors had been flying all week about pony rides, and clowns, and water balloon fights.

And wealthy though they may be the Uchiha's were simple people. Needless to say the children were disappointed when they found out all that was planed was a picnic in the garden and some games of pin the tail on the donkey. The most interesting part of the party turned out to be when Sasuke's older brother, Itachi, the most famous rookie in Konoha, showed off his Sharingan at the nagging instigation of the birthday boy. The children were glad to see the older brother that Sasuke always talked about was as cool in really life as he was in the stories Sasuke told.

But no matter how cool Itachi was the party wasn't, and most children had found an excuse to leave before the sun had even set. This didn't bother Sasuke though since most of the children had been invited at his parents request; the only people Sasuke wanted to see at his birthday were his two best friends. So at twilight when the last kid had left, Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto asked Mrs. Uchiha if they could go to the park and play since Sakura didn't need to be home for another three hours and Naruto had no one to go home to.

The three of them raced to the park and of course Sasuke won, and of course Naruto said he let him win because it was his birthday, and Sakura laughed at them.

As the boy's continued to fight over who was stronger/faster/smarter/more handsome/funnier/ had crazier hair/ taller, Sakura ignored them and walked over to the field and sat down.

She looked up to the sky at the exact moment a raindrop fell on her nose.

"Ha," she giggled and the odd sensation. "Hey you guys it's raining!"

The boys stopped mid punch and looked over at their pink haired friend with her arms spread wide spinning in circles and sure enough the summer rains had begun.

-----

**Twenty-Two Hours After**

Sakura sat in the uncomfortable chair next to Sasuke's bed with her feet resting on the windowsill. Her fingertips lightly touching his as she watched the raindrops slide down the window like tears. How many had she shed for him? Too many.

She sent small currents of chakra through her fingertips to his. She had been doing this every fifteen minutes since he go out of surgery. He was weak and had used all of his chakra up, so Sakura felt as a medic nin it was her obligation to help him recover by loaning him some of hers, even if he wasn't her patient, he was her…was there even a word for what he was to her?

The door opened but Sakura didn't look to see who it was, she knew.

"You should get some rest," Tsunade said as she began to check his vitals.

"I will as soon as Naruto gets back," Sakura said, never looking away from the window. "We're taking shifts."

"Ok, just don't waist all of your chakra."

Sakura stiffened at this. How had she known? Sakura had been so careful so make her donations of chakra subtle and undetectable.

"I know you better than you think I do, Sakura," Tsunade answered the unspoken question.

"Hun."

Tsunade walked over and put her hand on her student's shoulder, "He's going to be fine."

Sakura closed her eyes and rested her head on Tsunade's hand, enjoying the momentary comfort. The two women stayed like that for a moment enjoying the peace.

"Thank You. Those were his last words to me," Sakura paused and let out a deep breath, "Thing is though, I don't know what they mean."

"You will."

Sakura opened her eyes and looked at his swollen face. " 'I love you.' I said it so liberally. What person understands love when they're twelve?" She let out a sigh and rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

"Have you ever wondered why ninja's complete school when they are twelve instead of eighteen like other children?" Tsunade asked as she scribbled some stuff on his chart.

Sakura knew her teacher wasn't looking for an answer so she remand quiet and went back to looking at the window, never quite seeing what was beyond its tears.

"A ninja's life if short and fast. We hardly ever grow old because we are dead before we get the chance. We finish school young, form bonds quickly and grow up in an instant. This isn't the way of the nin, its just a fact. The way of the nin is to never slow down. Because as soon as we stop or lives fly by," Tsunade put the chart back. She walked over to Sakura and placed her hand on top of the barely touching pair of fingertips and gave them a gentle squeeze. Sakura's fingers relaxed and Sasuke's twitched. "He really is beautiful," as she looked over his sleeping form.

"Mm. Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

"Hn," Tsunade's eyes softened for the pink haired girl. "Sakura, don't slow down."

-----

**Ten Years Before**

As the rain came down harder Sasuke and Sakura ran underneath the cherry blossom tree to avoid getting any wetter, knowing that their mother's would not approve of them coming back soaking wet. But Naruto, who had no one at home to care if he was wet or not, danced around in the open field like a fool.

"Um…Sasuke," Sakura mumbled as they sat underneath the tree.

"Yeah. What is it Sakura?"

"Did you like my present? I made it myself."

Sasuke looked down at the pink and blue beaded necklace around his neck, " It's a little girly…"

"Oh…" Sakura tried not to let the hurt inflict her voice.

"But it's my favorite."

Sakura gasped and looked over at Sasuke to see if he was teasing her or not, but he was looking up at the full moon that had appeared from behind the clouds that had some how emptied themselves of rain and promptly left the sky.

"Hey you guys, it stopped raining. You can come out now!" a dripping wet Naruto called out.

Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her up with him. The two of them raced hand in hand to the center of the field where Naruto was and stopped suddenly when they saw the evil glint in Naruto's eye.

"Tag your it!" Naruto poked Sasuke's shoulder and dashed off in the other direction.

"Wha-" Sasuke looked dumfounded for a fraction of a second. "Tag your it," he let go of Sakura's hand and poked her belly.

"No fair you guys!" and Sakura followed they boys in circles around the field for the next thirty minutes. Kids like them had more energy than necessary.

With a huff, Naruto and Sasuke fell to the damp ground in a heap. Holding hands the two boys lied on the ground spread eagle and took several shallow breaths as they laughed for no real reason.

Sakura jogged up behind them and poked Naruto in the forehead before falling to the ground next to Sasuke, "Ha! Now your it."

"Took you long enough. Slow poke."

Sakura ignored him and grabbed hold of Sasuke's hand as she mimicked the boys' pose as she too caught her breath.

"The moon sure it big tonight," Sakura said offhandedly.

"Mm-Hn," the boys' agreed.

The three of them lied there, holding hands, on the muddy ground looking at the moon for who knows how long before Naruto finally broke the silence and said, "Happy Birthday Sasuke."

Sakura gave his hand a squeeze.

"It is happy, isn't it?"

---

That night as Sasuke returned home from the park he noticed the Uchiha district was bizarrely quiet. Usually, Uncle Kenji and Grandpa Uchiha were playing Go outside of Auntie Ume's fruit stand and cousins Taki and Aki were fighting over some toy that made Grandma Uchiha bonk their heads together to keep them quite. But not tonight. No one was outside and no lights were on inside either. The usually familiar streets seamed cold and foreign tonight. Unwilling to admit it, but slightly sacred, Sasuke began to run home.

He kicked off his muddy shoes once he was inside the Uchiha manor. "Mom! Dad! Itachi! I'm home!" Sasuke bounded in to the living room, where his parents sat reading every night before bed, to tell them all about how much fun the park had been, but they weren't there. "Hello? Mom, Dad! Where are you guys?"

Sasuke searched every room in the house but he couldn't find his family. They weren't in the garden or the bathhouse either.

Eight year-old Sasuke saw death for the first time in his short life when he walked in to the dojo. "Ma…D-Da."

It was his older brother, his super hero, who walked out of the shadows that night. And it was his older brother that chased him in to the bloody streets that night, put the fear in to him that night, and left him alone and alive that night.

The clouds came back and the rain pored in the streets, but this time Sasuke didn't hide under the cherry tree because he didn't think his Mom would mind if he came home wet.

--------------------------------------

Referring to the Buddhist Eight Fold Path to reach enlightenment.

AN:

Wow, so much to say. Well first of all I hope everyone liked it.

Ok, the time line and POV. I'm guessing you a probably more than a little confused. First of all the time line is broken in to two separate parts: Before and After. If you've ever read John Green's _Looking for Alaska_ then this will make since; if you haven't then you better go read cause it will change your life. Either way this will start to become more clear of when these two time periods are centered around as the story progresses, it don't want to tell you any more now for fear of spoiling the plot. As for the POV it will predominately be written in omnipotent third person except for like the beginning of the prologue, which is in Naruto's POV. I don't know if I want to start every chapter out in first person or just add snippets of first person throughout out the story. It could go either way.

Now, as for the reality. I'm guessing this is what confused you all the most. It is set in the regular Naruto universe most of the same major events that happen in the anime will happen in some variation or another in the story. The biggest difference is that Team 7 were friends during their childhood, obviously they met in preschool. Shit happens and they split up (don't want to give it away yet) and then we are back to the bickering fighting Team 7 that's at the beginning of the anime. But don't dismiss their childhood friendship just yet because it will play an important role later on, especially the OOC-ness they have as children.

Well anyway I want to thank you for reading my cryptic prologue (then again aren't most prologues cryptic) and congratulate you for making it this far.

**The Game**

And on a final note: I have a little game to make this more interesting. All the titles of my chapters will be lines from songs. Either I fell the line goes with the chapter or I just happen to think that the song was fitting for the chapter and thus chose a line from it to use as a title. Does this make since? Anyway back to the game. So here is how it works, if you can name the artist and the title of the song first (leave your vote with the reviews) then you get to choose something to add to the story. A request so to speak. Make sure I have a way of contacting you is the best way. E-mail will work too. Myspace is out of the question) so that we can negotiate the request if necessary. If I can't meet your request and I have no way of contacting you then you will forfeit to the next person who guessed. There will be only one winner per chapter, but don't let that stop you from guessing cause you never know if they will have to forfeit. I hope this makes since to everyone. Let me give you an example of a good guess review.

Chapter 1: I like Mine With Lettuces and Tomato

Artist: Jimmy Buffet

Song: Cheeseburger in Paradise

Request: I want Sasuke to say "this is the end of the line for you Mr. Potato Head!"

Ok I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions. I'll announce the winner in the next chapter.

Prologue: The Read Begins to Creep

Artist:

Song:

Request:

**Thank you for reading and I'll see you next chapter. **


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